UPDATED 3:15, November 18
The Hill‘s Michael O’Brien reports that Diana DeGette (D-CO), co-chairwoman of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, while discussing the viability of the Stupak Amendment, claimed that the Catholic bishops and other religious groups should not have a say in the health care debate.
She also said that religiously-affiliated groups like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which had pushed for the Stupak provision, should be shut out of the process.
“Last I heard, we had separation of church and state in this country,” she said. “I’ve got to say that I think the Catholic bishops and all of the other groups shouldn’t have input.”
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins responded with a press release calling DeGette’s words “religious bigotry.”
Apart from whether DeGette is a religious bigot, it’s clear she is a constitutional ignoramus.
UPDATE:
Apparently The Hill misquoted DeGette. She said “I think the Catholic bishops and all of the other groups should have input.” Obviously that changes her point entirely.
Although the line about the separation of church and state was not a misquote, so the point that she is a constitutional ignoramus still stands.